Declutter your Wardrobe – Declutter your Mind! (One of the BEST things I ever did!!)
I have always had an overstuffed wardrobe (or four). I didn’t give clothes away… I didn’t see the point… I may need them again, you see…
Having gone through various seasons in my working and home life from living in cold countries such as England, Spain, Malta and therefore owning leather jackets of every shape and colour to now living in Western Australia where it only gets cold for one month of the year…
…working in hospitality and entertaining clients and so buying lots of ball-dresses and cocktail dresses… to not going to balls anymore (but you never know…)
…my corporate seasons where my beautiful 1920’s style suits and business outfits are a must; to the online world where my style is more relaxed…
…over 150 pairs of shoes (just because)…
…fancy dress outfits – I could start my own shop!
Winter outfits were mixed in with summer ones with numerous outfits that needed fixing; were too big or small for this season of my life and they were all taking up space…
…my wardrobes were so overloaded that I couldn’t find anything so, I would end up wearing just a handful of outfits or simply wear tracksuits instead.
The beliefs and mindset around this driving me were:
- I can always find something to wear…
- I may not wear something for five or more years and then I will wear it every day for a month…
- I just don’t know when I might need it…
- What is the point of giving this away and then I will simply need to go out and buy it again?
My efforts at culling, clean-outs, sorting and tossing consisted of a lot of effort to stay in the same spot.
Everything changed when I finally admitted that my solution around wardrobe management didn’t work…
…I reached out for help and tapped into someone else’s genius zone…
…my world changed in just six hours and it has been one of the best things I have ever done!
My wardrobe today is my boutique… it is a thing of beauty to look at… and has stayed organised for years!
Today, I get dressed in mere minutes, look stylish, feel great and am wearing everything in my wardrobe! When travelling, I pack in under 10 minutes into a small walk-on suitcase AND I wear all the outfits.
The added bonuses include increased self-confidence, improved decision making, no black cloud of guilt hanging over my head, more time for me, and so much more!
Clutter can be a vicious negative cycle
If your mind is cluttered the external can become messy.
If your spaces are messy it can lead to anxiety and a cluttered mind.
The Results
- A lot of mental space is spent worrying about ‘it’
- A massive clean-out turns to despair only weeks later as the clutter starts to reappear
- It is difficult to relax – there is always one more thing to do
- Focus is divided and often only the most urgent things are dealt with – eroding fulfilment
- Anxiety over ‘dealing with it’ can be overwhelming
- It feels like there is a never-ending to-do list like a cloud hanging over your head
- Feelings of guilt and embarrassment over the ‘state’ of the house or mind keep you shackled to trying to ‘fix it’, eroding your connection with others…
…and the most damaging outcome is the self-condemnation and the inability to reach out for help believing ‘I should be able to do this… I just need to try harder… or do it differently. So, you keep digging yourself into a deeper hole of despair.
The reality is that you are using the mind that got you into this pickle…
… to try to get you out of it!
The fastest and most effective way forward is to have a fresh pair of skilled eyes on your situation to guide you to create your new pair of lenses through which to view it. THEN your new aligned strategies are amazing as they are backed by a new outlook, set of habits, and mindset.
So, if you want help with your wardrobe then check out my interview with Lizelle Hartley on Mindset Matters
If you are looking for mindset shifts… chat with me!
Mantra: “Asking for help IS Self-Care”
